Asthma, running and seretide.

I'm struggling controlling my asthma right now and have the feeling that the doctors may not be helping. So I'm going to throw this out in the hope that someone else has had a similar experience and may have any pointers/helpful advice.

I have had asthma all my life. Two years ago I started running and soon began to really enjoy it and improve. At the time I hardly used my blue inhaler (but that was in the spring/summer when I'm clearest anyway).

The winter after I started running I began having asthma issues again and as always if there are any symptoms they seem to get worse with running (especialy in the cold). My doctors game me various concoctions of inhaled steroids, ventolin and seretide.

Seretide gave a noticeable improvement in my condition but I decided only to use it right before a race due to the uncertainty that seems to be around regarding it's safetly and the possibility that in the long term it can make asthma worse. I didn't want to take the risk of permanent use. I am wary of drugs full stop.

So recently on the advice of a friend I insisted on a allergy test to try to get to the bottom of my asthma. Why at the age of 42 and after so many years of inhalers, chest x-rays etc. one had not been suggested to me I have no idea. It turns out I have a significant allergy to house dust mites (very common) and this explains why things get worse around this time of year (optimum breeding conditions for mites apparently). It also explains why I suffer when I use hotels (mattress full of mites no doubt) and why things pick up in mid summer (low humidity = low dust mites).

So with a couple of races coming up I'm not unable to run and faced with packing in the running until summer (depressing) or giving the seratide a proper go full time and see if that helps (the last thing I want is in five years to have my asthma made worse because of the drugs).

I also plan to reduce the dust mites as much as possible (get rid of soft furnishings etc.) but don't hold out much hope for this having a significant effect.

Has anyone had long term experience of seretide on here? Especially anyone who runs and has had similar problems to me. At the moment I seem to have two good months a year running wise and the rest is beset by the misery of poor times, wheezing and a tight chest.

Thanks.

M

[angievere]

Hi MrM, You need to take the Seretide all the time, not just before races. It acts as a preventer but needs to build up in your body. My son and I have taken it for a while now and it has definitely helped us. I havent heard of any doubts about its use or that it can make asthma worse in the long run.

[Hidden]

Hi there. As far as I know, there are no big issues with seretide and safety, it's a combination of a long acting reliever and a steroid. Angeviere is right, you need to take it regularly for the effects to build up. The danger is with serevent, a long acting reliever, if taken without a steroid.

I'm a cyclist and since I've been taking seretide twice a day things have got a lot better for me. However you'd be best off talking all this through with a qualified nurse or your doctor to find something that works best for you.

[Hidden]

Oh, ps, I have allergies to dust mites too (-and animal hair) and keeping everything dusted and clean helps, as does the odd antihistamine. Hope this helps.

[Hidden]

Thanks for the replies. I thought serevent and seretide were the same. Maybe I'm getting mixed up with my drugs and being over cautious but the worries I had were summarised here. I did mention concerns to my Doc but as usual he was in a rush to get the next patient in:

In November 2005, the American FDA released a health advisory [3], alerting the public to findings that show the use of long-acting β2-agonists could lead to a worsening of symptoms, and in some cases death.

While the use of inhaled LABAs are still recommended in asthma guidelines for the resulting improved symptom control,[4] further concerns have been raised, by a large meta-analysis of the pooled results from 19 trials with 33,826 participants, that salmeterol may increase the small risks of asthma deaths, and this additional risk is not reduced with the additional use of inhaled steroids (e.g., as with the combination product Fluticasone/salmeterol).[5] This seems to occur because although LABAs relieve asthma symptoms, they also promote bronchial inflammation and sensitivity without warning.[6]

[Skee-skee]

I have heard of the possible dangers of seretide and did read some of the papers- but I can't really remember them that well any more I am afraid. It is worth considering that there maybe side-effects or possible risks with any medication BUT there it is definitely risky to have uncontrolled asthma! Also taking the seretide will hopefully mean you can run regularly which will be good for your asthma and health in general.

Have you asked the Asthma UK asthma nurses about seretide and your concerns? Hopefully they will have more time than your GP. You could also them about other medication options.

Hope you get it sorted.

Bryony

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Bryony - good point. I guess with all prescription medicines you have to weigh up your quality of life without them vs side effects with them. For me taking seretide has meant being able to get back on the bike, which my nurse said was a lot better for my health than potential side effects. (fingers crossed, there havent been many, except some shakes when I was getting used to it.) Its definitely helpful if you can find a professional with the time to talk, my GP practice has a nurse for asthma patients and she's never as rushed as my Dr.